A bloom of the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, persists in Southwest Florida.
In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample collected from Pinellas County, background concentrations in one sample collected from Manatee County, very low concentrations in one sample collected from Charlotte County, background to medium concentrations in 17 samples collected from and offshore of Lee County, and background concentrations in one sample collected from Collier County.
In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample collected from Bay County.
Additional samples collected throughout Florida over the past week did not contain K. brevis.
Over the past week, fish kills were reported in Southwest Florida in Lee County (Bonita Beach) and Collier County (Barefoot Beach). Respiratory irritation was reported over the past week in Lee County on 5/24 at Newton Park.
Report courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
